/sci/ - Science & Math

[Anonymous No.5748218]

My current socioeconomic and academic status allows me to study pretty much anything I like, anywhere in the world, starting this fall. I am considering to explore space in one way or another - through planetary science, astroengineering, astrophysics or just astronomy in general. However, I'm concerned that I might have been born slightly to early to really enjoy a career with such a foundation. The Space Age is unfolding, but at what rate? Is it to early in the history of man for me to bother with space? There will be progress through the next 70 years ( approximation of my presumed remaining time), but how much can I expect? Will there be enough discoveries and theories for me to stay occupied as a life long learned within the field, or will I stagnate within a few decades due to lack of input? What advances are likely to occur in the 21st century? Might I, granted I stay enthusiastic and gain a solid degree, choose to settle or at least travel outside Earth before I die? Is it ridiculous to presume life extending technology will allow me to live for a few centuries, giving me more time to study and possibly explore Space and its enormously complex and diverse systems of matter and energy?

These were many questions about the future, which of course none of us have been to, or can say anything certain about. Nonetheless, I'm sure the combined intellect of /sci/ can aid me with some educated guesses and some input to help me sort out my thoughts.

I appreciate your time. Thanks.

[Anonymous No.5748246]

You better be smart enough to get your Phd, otherwise your job opportunities will be scarce.

[Anonymous No.5748261]

>The space age is unfolding
No it's not.

>My current socioeconomic and academic....
Good for you. I'm glad you're considering all the most childish and pointless options at your disposal.

[Anonymous No.5748479]

>>5748261

Correct. The Space Age is in decline. It's really *ending*, since we're in the Outsourcing Phase of the collapse of government-sponsored space programs. Governments will stop investing in crap like that, preferring to handle more apt problems like energy exploitation in a world where it only gets harder to do that.

[Anonymous No.5748518]

OP BE THE CATALYST THAT MAKES THIS THE AGE OF SPACE

[Anonymous No.5748519]

Here you go, OP. Fixed.

[Anonymous No.5748533]

Such a tragedy that humanity is not using its full potential to reach out into space. Why aren't there any major private initiatives to get out into space? How can it become financially attractive to explore moar? I can feel there is a paradigm shift ahead of us. I hope like hell that OPs speculations about life extension becomes real so I may live to explore the galaxy in all its beauty, learning and traveling. If mankind can give me eternity, I want it.

[Anonymous No.5748596]

>>5748533

You'd have to convince people to give up the current economic models that speak of really modest returns in a very, very short period of time. People largely expect investments to pay off within 5 years, on average. And the payoff just can't compare to the payoff of creating civilization in space. So you need to find people, and I'm talking about 10s of thousands of people, who are willing to adopt your vision of huge payoffs that come 50 years in the future. And you need to get those 10s of thousands to convince 100s of thousands, perhaps millions of people in total, to contribute funding lavishly to the project.

There's nothing unsound about making a massive personal investment that doesn't pay off for many decades. We do that already, called RETIREMENT. And it hardly pays off as massively as this project can. But still, people keep going short-timer on voluntary investments. It's very frustrating.

[Anonymous No.5748601]

>>5748261
>>5748479
>implying
Actually, now that spacefaring is becoming commercialized and "off-the-shelf" the actual space age will begin.


OP check out Deep Space Industries, SpaceX, Mars One and Planetary Resources.

[Anonymous No.5748608]

>>5748218
>planetary science, astroengineering, astrophysics or just astronomy in general

study engineering or have fun being poor for the rest of your life. if you still want to do the CARL SAGAN SPACE EXPERIENCE bullshit, study mechanical engineering, get a masters in aerospace, and try to get a job with one of the private space flight engineering companies like spacex.

[Anonymous No.5748610]

>>5748608
This anon has it exactly right, if you want to build spaceships and stuff, go for mechanical engineering, or maybe technical physics.

[Intraterrestrial No.5748636]

Many of your comments are helpful and insightful. I suppose that professors of Astronomy will be to the Space age what professors of Philosophy are today - utterly useless despite their insights.

Let us presume that I have 200 productive years ahead of me and that within 50 years, we will start the ridiculously slow process of colonizing Mars. I intend to somehow aid in this process in one way or another; be it design of Martian housing units, the shuttles to get there, the process of terraforming, exploration etc. I'm sure you can think of other more or less interesting and vital elements of Martian colonization.

What paths of education are relevant for which tasks? It's hard to find info about because relatively few have specialized on extraterrestrial colonization yet, for obvious reasons. A billion bonus points if your suggested path of education gets me to Mars or elsewhere in space personally.

Pic is unrelated but interesting.

[Anonymous No.5748698]

>>5748636
Engineering
Engineering
Engineering
Did I mention you should study engineering yet?

All of those things you mentioned, the most important people behind it will be electrical and mechanical engineers. And some physicists too I guess.


Also: Look up Mars One.

[Anonymous No.5748765]

>>5748636
There is a role for Astronomy and space science in space development: flagship telescopes and instruments. Big scopes like Hubble and James Webb require instrument development and big launchers like the Shuttle and Ariane 5. However, only the best of the best in the field of Astronomy will get a chance to work on them. Most astronomers just teach, write papers, and pick through old data from old telescopes.

My own opinion of the burgeoning field: ISRU (In-situ resource utilization). Everyone is out looking for astroids to mine and water on the Moon, but we are sorely lacking in techniques for efficiently extracting their riches. That's where the money will be at, to jumpstart the shift of industrialization from earth to space. And the rumor is that will be the next multi-million dollar Google X prize.

[Anonymous No.5748770]

>>5748636
Forget going into space personally. Everything will be done via robotics because it is far less expensive.

[Anonymous No.5748771]

>>5748218

[Anonymous No.5748775]

>>5748519
Except the Big Bounce hypothesis has been all but abandoned by now. The expansion is speeding up, motherfucker.

[Anonymous No.5748793]

>>5748770
Tell it to Elon Musk, who has built a rocket company specifically so people could start moving to Mars, and now has it not only doing regular orbital launches, but testing rockets that essentially do reusability in software, working toward a vehicle cost no higher than expendible rockets and reusability as simple and cost effective as airline operation.

[Anonymous No.5748809]

>been born slightly to early

Way to early young chap.

[Anonymous No.5748952]

>>5748218

Space exploration is pretty cool, but you're right about being born too early. If you want to be part of an expanding field of science in 30 years, become a geneticist.

[Anonymous No.5748958]

It is probably too early in human history for you to realise a lifetime of rewarding space exploration.

You're likely instead to graduate and find suitable employment in the fast food service industry.

[Anonymous No.5748966]

I feel like if space is what your interested in, then go ahead and do what youcan to be apart of it. what is coming on 4chan asking these edgy kids really going to do for your life? it doesnt take much understand of space to realize that our lifes are CLEARLY meaningless, so do what YOU want while you can. all that matters in your opinion, not even mine.